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Grantsmanship Development Program

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Program Overview

The Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR) Grantsmanship Development Program prepares participants to compete successfully for extramural funding. We welcome applications from UGA faculty members of any rank who have not previously received significant extramural research support as Principal Investigator. The 2-year program provides a systematic training experience that includes workshops, seminars, and staged guidance on proposal preparation. Periodic reports and presentations track participant progress through program milestones. Successful completion of the program requires submitting an extramural grant through the Institute by the end of the program. Upon completion of the program, the participant earns a certificate of completion.

The application into the Grantsmanship Development Program originates with the faculty member interested in joining the program. The application materials include: (1) a nomination letter from the Department Head, (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) an overview of the applicant’s primary research agenda that includes (a.) brief overview of your area and focus (half page), (b.)  2-3 specific research questions that could serve as the basis for a grant application, (c.) for each specific research question a list of 2-3 relevant publications from the vitae, and (d.) provide potential funding sources for extramural application, if known.

A committee of OIBR fellows will review applications to the program. Interested faculty members are selected based on their commitment to develop the skills to successfully pursue extramural grant funding for research projects in the social and behavioral sciences. Potential is gauged both in terms of an existing track record of publications or advanced training in their area of interest and a preliminary development of a focused research agenda in a potentially fundable area of interest.  Applications are due on the last Friday in April.

The Owens Institute is a service unit under the Office of Research. For grants submitted through OIBR, academic credit is given to the participant’s home department/college and institute credit is given to OIBR. Indirect cost return (F&A) should follow the policies and practices in the faculty member’s home academic unit. OIBR does not retain any indirect cost return from grants administered through the Institute.

Resources Provided to Grantsmanship Development Program Participants

  1. Lunch & Learn Workshops and Seminars
    • Overviews of specific funding agencies supporting social and behavioral science research
    • Group sessions for concept development and grantsmanship skills
    • Informal networking opportunities with eminent scholars and OIBR Fellows
    • Individualized feedback on grant concepts and responding grant reviews
  1. Pilot Funds
    • Competitively awarded pilot funds are available to support preliminary data collection and/or analysis for grant proposals.
  1. External & Editorial Review Funding
    • Funds are available to pay for (a) an external review of grant proposals for program participants; and (b.) professional editing services prior to grant submission.
  1. OIBR Annual Meeting, Lectures, Mystery Meet & Greet Lunches
    • Attending these events provides networking opportunities, information on work groups and centers, and updates on Institute operations.
  1. Pre-Award and Post-Award Services
    • Program participants will have access to assistance for (a.) identifying funding opportunities, (b.) budgeting, (c.) grant proposal coordination, and (d.) submission. When a grant is funded, it will be managed by OIBR’s specialized post-award accounting staff.
  1. Departmental Support
    • OIBR encourages the program participant’s home department to provide release time from teaching and/or departmental service, although this decision is under the discretion of the participant’s home department.

OIBR Grantsmanship Development Program Schedule

The two-year OIBR Grantsmanship Development Program is structured to facilitate the following activities, which culminate in a successfully funded grant proposal. Keep in mind this is an approximation; participants come into the program at different stages and therefore progress in the grant writing process on a variable timeline. The goals are to develop a strong concept, make time for grant writing, and to take full advantage of the resources available through this program to develop a highly competitive proposal.

 
Scheduled Activities (*indicates required attendance) Goals/Objectives
Y1 Fall
(Idea Generation/ Publish)
    • Attend program kick-off meeting *
    • Attend seminars, research speed networking session, and OIBR Annual Meeting*
    • Attend grant writing workshops (3) *
    • Give grant concept “pitch” *
    • Acquire general knowledge of grant writing process
    • Identify a fundable idea that will advance the field
Y1 Spring
(Refine grant concept/ Publish)
    • Participate in mock reviews & pink sheet reviews
    • Attend budget & funding sources workshops
    • Attend brown bags and Spring colloquia events
    • Give grant concept presentation *
    • Refine grant concept
    • Develop a draft budget
    • Identify an appropriate funding source
    • Communicate with funding agency
Y1 Summer
(Writing)
 There are no scheduled activities during the summer for the OIBR Grantsmanship Development Program. Spend time to writing grant proposal.
    • Complete draft of a proposal
    • Develop a draft budget
Y2 Fall/Spring/Summer
(Finalize Proposal/ Submit)
    • Attend mock reviews & pink sheet reviews
    • Continue to attend OIBR-sponsored events relevant to grant funding and administration
    • Obtain feedback on proposal from OIBR Fellow or request external review (recommended but not required)
    • Peer review from other program participants (recommended but not required)
    • Finalize grant proposal and submit to funding agency
    • Learn how to successfully revise and resubmit grant applications

To advance to Year 2 of the program, participants need to attend all required events & workshops and present a formal presentation of your grant concept. To receive a Certificate of Completion for the OIBR Grantsmanship Development Program, you must submit an extramural grant through OIBR by the end of year two of the program.

Contacts:
OIBR Director: Lillian Eby
Director of Faculty Development: Steve Kogan
OIBR Assistant Director: Kim Silvis Cherewick